Related Articles

For centuries, European explorers dreamed of sailing over the top of Russia to Asia. Now, climate change is melting enough Arctic ice to make this northern route a reality.

On Monday, a ship loaded with Norwegian iron ore is expected to dock in Qingdao, China, marking the first passage of a commercial cargo ship from Europe to Asia through the Arctic waters. The trip sliced 15 days and more than 8,000 kilometers off the conventional route, through the Suez Canal and past the Horn of Africa.

In past centuries, scores of Arctic adventurers died trying to make through this passage. This time, climate change made the difference.

According to the University of Colorado's National Snow and Ice Data Center, ice in the Arctic this summer shrank to its third lowest level on record. With summer ice running in recent years at 40 percent below the historical average, the Colorado scientists predict that by 2030, the North Pole will be a blue sea by late summer.

This change resulted in smooth sailing for the Norwegian bulk carrier, Nordic Barents. On September 4, the ship left Kirkenes, on Norway's northern tip - and headed east. Christian Bonfils, managing director of the Nordic Bulk Carriers, a Danish ship operator, said his ship's captain found open water 85 percent of the way:

"If there is a lot of ice, you cannot go full speed," said Christian Bonfils. "But with the ice we saw and experienced, we managed to go full speed almost all way."

In addition to saving on fuel, labor, and shipping time, the shippers did not have to pay for Suez Canal passage fees and anti-piracy insurance surcharges. Factoring the cost of Arctic insurance and an escort by a Russian ice breaker, he said his company saved thousands of dollars.

'"If we can start to use the Northern Sea Route every year, we will get a double winter season for our ships, because we can get the ice premium in summer time," he said. "The same goes for the Russians, they will be able to employ their ice breakers in the summer season."

Rune Rafaelsen runs a development agency in Kerkenes:

Last year, he said, iron ore demand from Chinese steel mills stretched around the world to revive production at a shuttered iron mine in his hometown. He predicts that the northern sea route will breathe new life into northern Norwegian ports. Speaking at an Arctic conference here, he predicted regular, late summer convoys of ships from Europe to Asia.

"They went directly to China and it went much faster than they expected," said Rune Rafaelsen.

Russia and Norway, once cold war enemies, are moving fast to lower transportation and investment barriers in the Arctic.

Last week, the two countries signed a treaty resolving a long-standing Arctic ocean territorial dispute. Now, the two countries are negotiating visa-free travel for northern residents. This week, Russian officials announced construction of 10 maritime search-and-rescue stations along the 6,400-kilometer route from Murmansk to the Bering Strait.

But environmentalists warn of pollution from wrecks and spills in a still treacherous part of the world.

Bill Eichbaum, marine and arctic policy expert for the World Wildlife Fund, traveled from the United States to speak at the Arctic conference in Moscow:

"The environmental concerns are great," said Bill Eichbaum. "There is very little search and rescue. There is very little spill control. Navigation and charting are not as extensive as in more heavily traveled areas."

From the Russian side, Nikita Ovsyanikov, deputy director of a Russian wildlife reserve on Wrangel Island, worries about the increase in shipping. Located near the top of the Bering Strait, Wrangel is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a major breeding ground for polar bears.

"There is always some probability of crash, of ship wreck, oil spill, if it is a tanker," said Nikita Ovsyanikov. "So there is always certainly a risk."

But the message from the Arctic conference was clear: Thanks to global warming, the era of commercial exploitation of the Arctic may only be beginning.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has told his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, that his country could face further consequences to what he called its “already strained economy” if Moscow does not fully comply with a cease-fire in Ukraine. The two met, on Monday, on the sidelines of a U.N. Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva, where Kerry outlined human rights violations in Russian-annexed Crimea and eastern Ukraine. VOA State Department correspondent Pam Dockins reports from Geneva.

Video

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has told his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, that his country could face further consequences to what he called its “already strained economy” if Moscow does not fully comply with a cease-fire in Ukraine. The two met, on Monday, on the sidelines of a U.N. Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva, where Kerry outlined human rights violations in Russian-annexed Crimea and eastern Ukraine. VOA State Department correspondent Pam Dockins reports from Geneva.

Video

Diagnosing infections such as HIV requires expensive clinical tests, making the procedure too costly for many poor patients or those living in remote areas. But a new technology called lab-on-a-chip may make the tests more accessible to many. VOA’s George Putic reports.

Video

Afghan officials have expressed concern over reports of a crackdown on Afghan refugees in Pakistan following the Peshawar school attack in December. Reports of mass arrests and police harassment coupled with fear of an uncertain future are making life difficult for a population that fled its homeland to escape war. VOA’s Ayesha Tanzeem reports from Islamabad.

Video

Despite the ongoing ceasefire in Ukraine, soldiers in the city of Mariupol fear that pro-Russian separatists may be getting ready to attack. The separatists must take or encircle the city if they wish to gain land access to Crimea, which was annexed by Russia early last year. But Ukrainian forces, many of them volunteers, say they are determined to defend it. Patrick Wells reports from Mariupol.

Video

As low oil prices and Western sanctions force Russia's economy into recession, thousands of Moscow restaurants are expected to close their doors. Restaurant owners face rents tied to foreign currency, while rising food prices mean Russians are spending less when they dine out. One entrepreneur in Moscow has started a dinner kit delivery service for those who want to cook at home to save money but not skimp on quality. VOA's Daniel Schearf reports.

Video

The United States and Cuba say they have made progress in the second round of talks on restoring diplomatic relations more than 50 years after breaking off ties. Delegations from both sides met in Washington on Friday to work on opening embassies in Havana and Washington and iron out key obstacles to historic change. VOA’s Mary Alice Salinas reports from the State Department.

Video

One after another, presumptive Republican presidential contenders auditioned for conservative support this week at the Conservative Political Action Conference held outside Washington. The rhetoric was tough as a large field of potential candidates tried to woo conservative support with red-meat attacks on President Barack Obama and Democrats in Congress. VOA Political Columnist Jim Malone takes a look.

Video

New Yorkers take pride in setting world trends — in fashion, the arts and fine dining. The city’s famous biannual Restaurant Week plays a significant role in a booming tourism industry that sustains 359,000 jobs and generates $61 billion in yearly revenue. VOA's Ramon Taylor reports.

Video

Issues like the Keystone XL pipeline, fracking and instability in the Middle East are driving debate in the U.S. about making America energy independent. Recently, the American Energy Innovation Council urged Congress and the White House to make expanded energy research a priority. One beneficiary of increased energy spending would be the Brookhaven National Lab, where clean, renewable, efficient energy is the goal. VOA's Bernard Shusman reports.

Video

There has been a surge of interest in the American civil rights movement of the 1950s and '60s, thanks in part to the Hollywood motion picture "Selma." Five decades later, communities in the South are embracing the dark chapters of their past with hopes of luring tourism dollars. VOA's Chris Simkins reports.

Video

With the end of summer in the Southern hemisphere, the Antarctic research season is over. Scientists from Northern Illinois University are back in their laboratory after a 3-month expedition on the Ross Ice Shelf, the world’s largest floating ice sheet. As VOA’s Rosanne Skirble reports, they hope to find clues to explain the dynamics of the rapidly melting ice and its impact on sea level rise.

Video

A Lao dam project on a section of the Mekong River is drawing opposition from local fishermen, international environmental groups and neighboring countries. VOA's Say Mony visited the region to investigate the concerns. Colin Lovett narrates.